SEMA eNews Vol. 15, No. 19, May 10, 2012

Toyota Offers Electric Version of RAV4 SUV

Toyota recently revealed an all-new Toyota RAV4 EV that the company says has the driving performance, dynamics and cargo capacity that are equal to or exceed the gas powered RAV4 V6.

Earlier this week at the 26th annual Electric Vehicle Symposium in Los Angeles, Toyota revealed an all-new electric Toyota RAV4 EV. The SUV has an expected driving range rating of approximately 100 miles and charging time of approximately six hours on a 240V/40A charger.

According to the manufacturer, the RAV4 EV’s driving performance, dynamics and cargo capacity are equal to or exceed the gas-powered RAV4 V6.

The RAV4 EV is the product of a collaboration with Tesla Motors spurred by Akio Toyoda, president and CEO of Toyota Motor Corp. Twenty-two months after the project announcement, Toyota and Tesla engineers brought product to market. So far, it is the only all-electric SUV on the market.

Tesla designed and produced the battery and electric powertrain for Toyota’s most popular SUV model. For the most part, aside from distinctive exterior badges and more efficient LED/halogen projector headlights, the RAV4 EV will be identical to the standard gas version. The battery pack is mounted low and to the center of the vehicle. No interior space is lost in the vehicle due to EV components. The announced MSRP is $49,800 for a fully equipped model.

The front-wheel-drive RAV4 EV allows drivers to select from two distinctly different drive modes—Sport and Normal. In Sport mode, the vehicle reaches 0–60 mph in just 7.0 seconds and has a maximum speed of 100 mph. Normal mode achieves 0–60 mph in 8.6 seconds with a maximum speed of 85 mph. Maximum output from the electric powertrain is 154 hp (115kW) @ 2,800 rpm.

The RAV4 EV will go on sale in late summer 2012 through select dealers, initially in four major California metropolitan markets including Sacramento, San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles/Orange County and San Diego. Sales volume is planned for approximately 2,600 units over the next three years. The battery warranty is eight years or 100,000 miles. For more information: http://pressroom.toyota.com.